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Zion Church is a United Methodist congregation, with an evangelical heritage marked by a faith grounded in the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit-fueled Wesleyan revivals of the 18th century in England.

We are the inheritors of the faith spread by God across North America through the Circuit Riders of the early frontier who lived Brother Wesley’s desire to “preach scriptural holiness across the land.”

The people of Zion Church are… young, old, single, married, divorced; families with children, couples without children, grandparents (and some great-grandparents, too!). We are all children of God, working together to live as faithful Christians each day, supporting each other each day through prayer, caring, and fellowship.

We are a congregation which places a very high value on welcoming. The Lord Jesus has called us to a ministry which changes hearts to change our world. Helping others to be at home in the Church is part of our work.

If you’d like to learn more about Zion’s family, or join us in our work for God’s Kingdom, please come and be our guest!

Who is Zion’s Pastor?

Pastor Chang H. Yi came to Grand Forks Zion UMC in July 2012. He earned his Master degree in Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC.

Chang married Youna Rhee in 2003 and has a daughter, Grace Sunwoo Lee(Yi) born in 2011. They live with two small puppies, Winnie (Shih-Tzu) and Sugar (Yorkshire Terrier).

He loves music so much and played the guitar in a hard rock band throughout college years. He is interested in photography as well and spends his leisure with his Pentax camera.

In the Dakotas Conference, Chang is serving the Board of Ordained Ministry that is responsible for guiding and examining the candidates for ordained ministry.

Worship Service

Worship Service begins each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We have a blended service that incorporates traditional and contemporary music styles.

9:00 a.m. – Coffee Fellowship/Children’s Choir Practice

9:15 a.m. – Sunday School

10:00 a.m. – Adult Choir Practice meeting

10:30 a.m. – Worship Begins

We practice Open Communion (sometimes called “The Lord’s Supper”), which means that everyone is welcome at the Lord’s Table. We do not require membership for you to receive Holy Communion.

What Should I Wear?

Don’t worry – we don’t have a dress code!

Zion is a diverse congregation that includes people with many different styles. You’ll see some in coat and tie with others in jeans. Wear what you feel is comfortable and appropriate for worship.

What About My Kids?

Children are always very welcome at Zion. We offer nursery services (all year long).

During the school year, we have fellowship and learning for all ages. For Kindergarten through High School, we have Sunday School from 9:15am to 10:15am. All of our teachers and nursery staff have undergone background checks and been trained for their work.

What About Me?

Zion has several opportunities for you to connect with other believers outside of worship. During the school year, on Sunday, we have a number of classes for adults:

Sisters in Spirit

Sisters in Spirit is a Sunday School class geared toward adult women. In Fall 2010, the SIS class will be reading and discussing the book “The Critical Journey” by Janet Hagberg, which studies our journey of faith in stages and provides real insight into why people believe the way they do and how the faith journeys of congregation members affect the life of a church. To learn more about Sisters in Spirit, contact Connie Sherwood.

The “BOOT” Class

The Boot Class studies the pastor’s sermon text for the day as the departure point for discussion. The class is very informal and is dependent on individuals sharing their understanding of the scripture reading. We begin with a prayer, then read the text (occasionally from several translations) and continue with what frequently becomes a lively, open discussion of that Sunday’s text. If you have questions about the BOOT Class, email class leader, Don Miller.

Zion’s Gate

The Zion’s Gate study group uses the Wired Word curriculum to consider current events through the eyes of Christian faith. Each Sunday, we’ll read a major news story from the preceding week, discussing it with reference to the Bible and our own faith experiences as Christians who have to contend with secular society. If you’d like to be on the Zion’s Gate mailing list, please email John Shabb.

The Open Door Class

The Open Door Class uses Cokesbury’s Adult Bible Studies curriculum which presents stimulating lessons that explores the biblical message and how to apply it to every day living. This class meets in the Fireside Room, just off of the kitchen and is lead by Walter Mytych.